Hopper discharge assembly

ABSTRACT

A housing having inclined side walls and a pair of end walls, a plenum chamber adjacent the lower end of the housing with one or two longitudinal lading inlets, and a rotatable valve along each of the lading inlets for controlling the flow of lading into the plenum chamber.

United States Patent Fischer et a].

[ 1 May 16, 1972 [54] HOPPER DISCHARGE ASSEMBLY [72] Inventors: Robert T. Fischer, Harvey; Byron W. Martin, Kanakakee, both of 111.

[73] Assignee: Miner Enterprises Inc., Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filed: Jan. 19, 1970 21 App]. No.: 3,672

[52] [1.8. CI ..302/42, 302/52 [51] Int. Cl ..B65g 53/46 [58] Field ofSearch ..302/52,53, 54,57, 59,42;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,482,741 12/1969 Fritz ..222/554 3,174,807 3/1965 Adler ..302/52 1,185,118 5/1916 MacMichael ..302/53 X 2,939,592 6/1960 ...302/52 X 3,501,030 3/1970 ....214/17.8 3,194,420 7/1965 ..302/52 X 3,306,675 2/1967 ..302/52 3,098,506 7/1963 ....251/3 17 X 3,393,844 7/1968 Beres et al. ..251/309 X Primary ExaminerEvon C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-W. Scott Carson Attorney-Edward F. J urow and Clifford A. Dean [5 7] ABSTRACT A housing having inclined side walls and a pair of end walls, a plenum chamber adjacent the lower end of the housing with one or two longitudinal lading inlets, and a rotatable valve along each of the lading inlets for controlling the flow of lading into the plenum chamber.

5 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMM 16 1972 3, 663 O66 SHEET 2 [1F 3 11/ II! lv 1/ I I HOPPER DISCHARGE ASSEMBLY FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to a hopper discharge assembly which is adapted for use, for example, in connection with railroad hopper cars, and more particularly to a pneumatic discharge assembly and manually operable means for controlling the flow of lading into the pneumatic system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In general, the hopper discharge assembly of the present invention comprises a housing, casing means adjacent the bottom of the housing and defining a plenum chamber with one or two longitudinal lading inlets, and a valve shaft rotatably mounted in the housing along each of the lading inlets. The valve shaft has a longitudinal flat section and is manually rotatable for controlling the flow of lading into the plenum chamber. A valve operating hand lever is removably mounted on each end of the valve shaft.

The foregoing assembly is designed for specialized direct pneumatic unloading where gravity discharge is never required. Features of the described arrangement include easy rotation of the control valves, minimum manipulations to operate the control valves, convenient operation of the control valves from either side of the assembly housing, and independent operability of the control valves when used in pairs. Additionally, with the control valves, which provide complete sealing of the discharge assembly, commodity flow can be easily metered and can be stopped instantly for flexible control. The ability to meter commodity flow permits delivery of commodity at increased distances from the discharge assembly, and allows unloading by very low powered pneumatic systems. Also, the arrangement of the assembly is such that extremely complete commodity removal is attained. Moreover, decontamination clean-out can be accomplished by simply removing one valve operating hand lever and sliding the associated valve shaft from the assembly housing. Finally, the assembly may be inexpensively fabricated of steel, aluminum and plastic components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an end elevational view of one embodiment of pneumatic discharge assembly incorporating the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the pneumatic discharge assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and shows the control valve in open position;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged foreshortened sectional view taken substantially along the line 4--4 in FIG. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view corresponding generally to FIG. 3, but shows the control valve in closed positron;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 in FIG. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 7 is an end elevational view of a second embodiment of pneumatic discharge assembly incorporating the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged plan view of a fragmentary portion of the pneumatic discharge assembly of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view taken substantially along the line 9-9 in FIG. 8, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIG. 1, there is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10 the lower end portion of a hopper, for example, of a railroad hopper car. Associated with the hopper 10 is one embodiment of a pnuematic hopper discharge assembly 12 incorporating the principles of the present invention.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the pneumatic hopper discharge assembly 12 comprises a housing 14 having a pair of downwardly inclined converging side walls 16 and 18, and a pair of end walls 20. The lower edges of the side walls 16 and 18 are spaced apart, while the end walls 20 are each formed with a semi-circular opening 22. Extending between the end walls 20 is lengthwise casing means 24 comprised of a partially curved casing member 26 secured along one edge to the underside of the side wall 16, and a longitudinal semi-circular valve seat member 28 secured along its edges to the adjacent edges of the casing member 26 and the side wall 18. The casing member 26 defines with the side wall 16 a plenum chamber 30 which communicates with the end wall openings 22; while the lower edge of the casing member 26 defines with the lower edge of the side wall 16 a longitudinal lading inlet Extending along the lading inlet 32 and seated in the valve seat member 28 is a rotatable valve 34 for controlling the flow of lading into the plenum chamber 30. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the valve 34 comprises a shaft 36 rotatably mounted in the end walls 20 and auxiliary collars 37. The shaft 36 has a semi-circular or flat section 38 intermediate the end walls 20 and extension ends 40 projecting outwardly of the housing 14. Suitable ring seals 41 are interposed between the shaft extension ends 40 and the auxiliary collars 37. Mounted on each shaft extension end 40 is a hand lever 42 having a hub 44 removably held in place by a bolt 46. By simple arcuate manipulation of either hand lever 42, the valve 34 may be easily rotated between the full open position shown in FIG. 3 and the full closed position shown in FIG. 5.

Secured to the end walls 20 at the openings 22 are exterior pneumatic inlet and outlet extensions 48. As shown in FIG. 6, each extension 48 is adapted to be closed by a cap member 50 having a head gasket and held in place by a bail 54 and bail cam 56 secured by a car seal (not shown) disposed through the aperture 58. During loading, transportation and storage of lading within the railroad hopper car, the control valve 34 and pneumatic inlet and outlet extensions 48 are maintained closed. The discharge assembly 12 is especially adapted for direct pneumatic unloading of polyethylene or polystyrene pellets and other highly contaminable ladings.

When pneumatic unloading is desired, the car seals are broken, the bail cams 56 are rotated outwardly, the bails 54 are swung downwardly, and the cap members 50 are removed. A pneumatic or vacuum nozzle (not shown) is attached to one extension 48, while a suitable air metering device (not shown) is mounted on the other extension 48. The control valve 34 is then rotated from the closed position shown in FIG. 5 to the full open position shown in FIG. 3 or to any desired intermediate metering position. Lading within the housing 14 flows through the inlet 32 into the plenum chamber 30 and is entrained in air and withdrawn in the pneumatic system. At any time, the control valve 34 may be completely closed to instantly interrupt flow of lading. When the hopper car is emptied of lading, the control valve 34 is rotated to the full closed position shown in FIG. 5 and the system is purged of all remaining material. When the interior of the discharge assembly 12 is to be cleaned, one lever securing bolt 46 and the associated hand lever 42 are removed, and the control valve 34 is pulled axially out of the assembly.

Referring now to FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, there is indicated generally by the reference numeral 60 another embodiment of pneumatic hopper discharge assembly incorporating the principles of the present invention. The assembly 60 comprises a housing 62 having a pair of downwardly inclined converging side walls 64 and a pair of end walls 66. The lower edges of the side walls 64 are spaced apart, and the end walls 66 are each formed with an irregular opening 68. Extending between the end walls 66 is lengthwise casing means 70 comprised of a longitudinal bottom plate 72, a pair of longitudinal semi-circular valve seat members 74 one each secured along its edges to one of the edges of the bottom plate 72 and the edge of the adjacent side wall 64, and an inverted generally V-shaped hood 76 overlying the bottom plate 72. The hood 76 defines with the bottom plate 72 a plenum chamber 78 which communicates with the end wall openings 68; while the lower edges of the hood 76 define with the edges of the bottom plate 72 a pair of longitudinal lading inlets 80.

Extending along each lading inlet 80 and seated in the adjacent valve seat member 74 is a rotatable valve 82 for controlling the flow of lading into the plenum chamber 78. The rotatable valves 82 are identical in construction and operation to the rotatable valve 34 described in detail hereinabove, and primed reference numerals have been used to indicate corresponding parts. Secured to the end walls 66 at the openings 68 are exterior pneumatic inlet and outlet extensions 84 which are normally maintained closed by cap members and securing means corresponding to those associated with the inlet and outlet extensions 48 and identified by primed reference numerals.

When unloading of the discharge assembly 60 is desired, the extensions 84 are connected in a pneumatic system in the same manner as the extensions 48, and one or both of the control valves 82 (which are independently operable from either side of the railroad hopper car) are rotated from a closed position to the full open position shown in FIG. 9 or to any desired intermediate metering position. Lading within the housing 62 flows through the inlets 80 into the plenum chamber 78 and is entrained in air and withdrawn in the pneumatic system. Purging of the system and clean-out of the-assembly 60 are carried out in the same manner as described above in reference to the assembly 12.

While there has been shown and described preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various rearrangements and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A hopper discharge assembly comprising a housing having a pair of downwardly inclined converging side walls with the lower edges thereof spaced apart and a pair of end walls each with an opening therein, lengthwise casing means connected to said side walls and between said end walls and defining at least in part a plenum chamber with a longitudinal lading inlet adjacent the lower edge of at least one of said side walls, a longitudinally extending rotatable control valve means for such lading inlet, the control valve means comprising a solid shaft having cylindrical end portions journaled in said end walls and longitudinally extending semi-circular portions disposed intermediate said end walls and adjacent its associated lading inlet for controlling the flow of lading into said plenum chamber, said plenum chamber communicating with said openings in said end walls, and exterior pneumatic inlet and outlet extensions at said openings in said end walls, said casing means includes. a partially curved casing member secured along one edge to the underside of one of said side walls, and a longitudinal semi-cylindrical valve seat member secured along one edge to the other edge of said casing member and secured along the other edge to said lower edge of the other of said side walls, and wherein said casing member defines with said one side wall said plenum chamber while said other edge of said casing member is spaced below and defines with said lower edge of said one side wall said longitudinal lading inlet.

2. The hopper discharge assembly of claim 1 wherein said cylindrical shaft ends of the control valve means project outwardly of said end walls and each shaft end has a valve operating hand lever removably mounted thereon.

3. The hopper discharge assembly of claim 1 wherein said cylindrical end portions of the solid shaft are rotatably seated in said semi-cylindrical valve seat members, and wherein manually operable means are removably mounted at the opposite ends of said shaft outwardly of said end walls for selectively effecting rotation of said shaft.

. A hopper discharge assembly comprising a housing having a pair of downwardly inclined converging side walls with the lower edges thereof spaced apart and a pair of end walls each with an opening therein, lengthwise casing means connected to said side walls and between said end walls and including a bottom plate, a first longitudinal semi-cylindrical valve seat member secured along one edge to one edge of said bottom plate and secured along the other edge to said lower edge of one of said side walls, a second longitudinal semicylindrical valve seat member secured along one edge to the other edge of said bottom plate and secured along the other edge to said lower edge of the other of said side walls, and an inverted non-rotatable V-shaped hood overlying said bottom plate; wherein said hood and said bottom plate define said plenum chamber while the edges of said hood are spaced above and define with said edges of said bottom plate a pair of generally parallel longitudinally extending lading inlets; and including a pair of independently operable solid-shaft rotatable control valves each of which is seated in one of said semicylindn'cal valve seat members and has cylindrical end portions journaled in said end walls and longitudinally extending semi-circular portions disposed intermediate said end walls and adjacent one of said pair of lading inlets for controlling the flow of lading into said plenum chamber from either side thereof.

5. The hopper discharge assembly of claim 4 wherein each of said solid-shaft rotatable control valves is provided at its opposite ends and outwardly of said end walls with manually operable handle means for selectively effecting rotation of either one or both of said control valves, and wherein at least one of said handle means on each of said control valves is readily removable whereby to permit endwise removal of said control valves from said valve seat members to facilitate cleaning of the interior of the hopper discharge assembly. 

1. A hopper discharge assembly comprising a housing having a pair of downwardly inclined converging side walls with the lower edges thereof spaced apart and a pair of end walls each with an opening therein, lengthwise casing means connected to said side walls and between said end walls and defining at least in part a plenum chamber with a longitudinal lading inlet adjacent the lower edge of at least one of said side walls, a longitudinally extending rotatable control valve means for such lading inlet, the control valve means comprising a solid shaft having cylindrical end portions journaled in said end walls and longitudinally extending semi-circular portions disposed intermediate said end walls and adjacent its associated lading inlet for controlling the flow of lading into said plenum chamber, said plenum chamber communicating with said openings in said end walls, and exterior pneumatic inlet and outlet extensions at said openings in said end walls, said casing means includes a partially curved casing member secured along one edge to thE underside of one of said side walls, and a longitudinal semi-cylindrical valve seat member secured along one edge to the other edge of said casing member and secured along the other edge to said lower edge of the other of said side walls, and wherein said casing member defines with said one side wall said plenum chamber while said other edge of said casing member is spaced below and defines with said lower edge of said one side wall said longitudinal lading inlet.
 2. The hopper discharge assembly of claim 1 wherein said cylindrical shaft ends of the control valve means project outwardly of said end walls and each shaft end has a valve operating hand lever removably mounted thereon.
 3. The hopper discharge assembly of claim 1 wherein said cylindrical end portions of the solid shaft are rotatably seated in said semi-cylindrical valve seat members, and wherein manually operable means are removably mounted at the opposite ends of said shaft outwardly of said end walls for selectively effecting rotation of said shaft.
 4. A hopper discharge assembly comprising a housing having a pair of downwardly inclined converging side walls with the lower edges thereof spaced apart and a pair of end walls each with an opening therein, lengthwise casing means connected to said side walls and between said end walls and including a bottom plate, a first longitudinal semi-cylindrical valve seat member secured along one edge to one edge of said bottom plate and secured along the other edge to said lower edge of one of said side walls, a second longitudinal semi-cylindrical valve seat member secured along one edge to the other edge of said bottom plate and secured along the other edge to said lower edge of the other of said side walls, and an inverted non-rotatable V-shaped hood overlying said bottom plate; wherein said hood and said bottom plate define said plenum chamber while the edges of said hood are spaced above and define with said edges of said bottom plate a pair of generally parallel longitudinally extending lading inlets; and including a pair of independently operable solid-shaft rotatable control valves each of which is seated in one of said semi-cylindrical valve seat members and has cylindrical end portions journaled in said end walls and longitudinally extending semi-circular portions disposed intermediate said end walls and adjacent one of said pair of lading inlets for controlling the flow of lading into said plenum chamber from either side thereof.
 5. The hopper discharge assembly of claim 4 wherein each of said solid-shaft rotatable control valves is provided at its opposite ends and outwardly of said end walls with manually operable handle means for selectively effecting rotation of either one or both of said control valves, and wherein at least one of said handle means on each of said control valves is readily removable whereby to permit endwise removal of said control valves from said valve seat members to facilitate cleaning of the interior of the hopper discharge assembly. 